CUD Leader Wants Interim Government

The leader of Ethiopia's Coalition for Unity and Democracy said he would boycott the upcoming parliament, and is asking the United States and European nations to pressure Prime Minister Meles Zenawi stand aside and let a transitional government to take over.

Hailu Shewal, the CUD chairman, said Tuesday that he wants Ethiopia's political leaders to negotiate a transitional government, claiming that the outcome of the May 15th election was fraudulent.

Mr. Meles, whose ruling party was declared the victory in the elections, has defended the election as legitimate. The prime minister also has said he would not negotiate on forming transitional government.

But Mr. Hailu says Ethiopia's big international supporters - including the United States - should use their weight to change the prime minister's mind and support formation of an interim government.

Mr. Hailu dismissed calls for cooperation with the prime minister's party. Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, the CUD leader said personally he would boycott the new parliament, in which his party will hold 109 of the 547 seats.

Mr. Hailu faces dissent from some of his own allies in the opposition. Some members of the CUD and the other leading opposition party, the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, have distanced themselves from Mr. Hailu's calls for resistance.

Meanwhile, the ambassadors of major donor nations and the US government have called on all of Ethiopia's political parties to work together in the next parliament - and to address election disputes in the courts.